# SameBoy vs Auto Shiny Counter

The clearest difference is update cadence: Auto Shiny Counter at fortnightly against SameBoy's every 4 months. Auto Shiny Counter also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). SameBoy's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 67%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SameBoy sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Auto Shiny Counter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Auto Shiny Counter holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 110 and 60 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of SameBoy's written reviews are positive against 67% of Auto Shiny Counter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, Auto Shiny Counter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SameBoy | Auto Shiny Counter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sameboy/id6496971295/reviews) | **[4.7 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/auto-shiny-counter/id6749230127/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **110** | 60 |
| Positive reviews | **83.6% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lior Halphon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1741211844) | [Sebastian Hellenbrand](https://appshunter.io/developer/1732932263) |

## What reviewers say

### SameBoy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sameboy/id6496971295)

Experience classic handheld gaming with a highly accurate emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy. Enjoy advanced features like save states, rumble support, and controller compatibility. Play on your Apple Watch and customize your experience with various filters and themes.

**Highlights:** Accurate Game Boy emulation, Save states with gesture support, Rumble support, Apple Watch playability, Scaling filters, Game Boy Camera emulation, Controller support

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $0.99 | per month |
| Supporter Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Supporter Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Theme Access | $4.99 | one-time |
| SameBoy for Apple Watch | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 No ads or intrusive monetization
- 🎮 Highly accurate Game Boy/GBC emulation
- 💡 Innovative gesture controls (swipe to save/load/fast-forward)
- 🎨 Beautiful, authentic design with multiple themes
- ⚙️ Extensive customization and emulation options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Apple Watch support requires paid subscription
- 🐛 iPad portrait mode menu bug
- ❌ No Game Boy Advance emulation despite claims
- 🎮 Small button sizes for large hands
- ⚠️ Cheats feature limited or non-functional

**Reported bugs**

- iPad portrait mode triggers menu on A button/Up arrow press
- Game Boy Camera crashes on iPhone 17 Pro Max when switching cameras
- Rewind function causes game data loss in some titles
- 200% and 400% speed boost settings don't work
- Cheats don't function properly for certain games

**Requested features**

- Game Boy Advance emulation support
- Cheat code functionality
- Multiplayer/wireless linking for Pokémon games
- Online multiplayer support
- Adjustable screen and button sizes


### Auto Shiny Counter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/auto-shiny-counter/id6749230127)

This app automatically tracks your shiny Pokémon encounters across various hunting methods like wild encounters, soft resets, and eggs. It offers a manual mode for flexible tracking and works on multiple Nintendo devices. Keep your shiny hunts organized and never lose count again.

**Highlights:** Automatic shiny encounter counting, Manual tracking mode, Supports Switch, 3DS, and more, Organized hunt overview, Tracks wild, soft reset, and egg hunts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto Shiny Counter Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Auto Shiny Counter Pro Yearly | $22.99 | per year |
| Lifetime PRO | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SameBoy free?

SameBoy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Auto Shiny Counter free?

Auto Shiny Counter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SameBoy or Auto Shiny Counter?

Auto Shiny Counter is rated higher. SameBoy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 110 ratings, while Auto Shiny Counter averages 4.7 from 60 ratings.

### Do SameBoy or Auto Shiny Counter have ads?

Neither SameBoy nor Auto Shiny Counter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SameBoy or Auto Shiny Counter?

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, and Auto Shiny Counter fortnightly. Most recently, SameBoy was updated on October 20, 2026 and Auto Shiny Counter on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*